Listening to Sapien Sounds, according to the band’s Bandcamp site, is like “putting your brain in a crockpot and slow cooking it to perfection.” Huh – that’s a new one for me, but one worth remembering because I like listening to new music and um, well, food cooked in a crockpot. Sapien Sounds is an indie rock band out of Lincoln, Nebraska, known for their entrancing instrumentals, thought provoking lyrics, and visually stimulating live performances. They released their debut album Mind Games in July 2017 and have since released their second album Haze this past June. The lead single "Shades" has been well received and has already gotten airtime on local radio stations. The driving force behind the project is guitarist/vocalist Hank Peppe, with much support from long time jam-mate Alex Steinke on the drums. Bassist Katja Duerig completes the lineup, along with support from various other artists. As self-taught music junkies who have also been classically trained, the band’s diversity shines through in their music. Haze was recorded and mixed in Ableton by the band in their home studio The Jungle and was mastered by Doug Van Sloun of Focus Mastering.
Conceptually, the album follows a lone actor on a journey to gain control over his life. In the beginning he feels like he is stuck in a loop from which he can't escape. Every day is the same, floating aimlessly but never getting anywhere. All the color is gone from the world around him. At his wits end, he makes a desperate attempt to escape and finds himself transported to another plane of existence. He has broken free from the loop, but now he faces the new challenge of making sense of the unfamiliar world around him. As he navigates this new world, he begins to gain some clarity and control. By the end of the record, he emerges from the haze and finds his way home, feeling empowered and with a new outlook on life. The band’s sound has drawn comparisons to Jack White, Modest Mouse and grunge/alternative acts such as Incubus and Stone Temple Pilots. The opener “Bent” which happens to be the group’s longest tune, begins slowly for a bit, building up to a steady rock alternative style with breaks in between the verses and chorus. The guitar riffs have a great classic edge to it and the middle section gets pretty dramatic, too. The words to “Disorient” are sure to sound familiar to you if you’ve ever caught yourself thinking that your day was going to be great, you’re going to tackle it head on, and then, you forget what you were doing, you get distracted and that “ good feeling” at the start of your day does a 180. Sound familiar? The band’s style here is jumpy and frenzied, almost punkish, with infectious guitar riffs. I like the band’s choice to fade this one out – nice touch. I really enjoyed “Haze” for its funky beat and simple, carefree lyrics. This one felt like an odd alternative mix, of say Primus, that one band who sang “Three Little Pigs” in the ‘90s and some of the more off the wall, creative songs from Stone Temple Pilots. This one was without question a favorite. “Fear” features the band’s storytelling writing within a song and, this one felt to me more of concept song – and, I suppose this made sense. Some great guitar playing can be heard and overall, this song shows the band’s songwriting strength and chemistry very well. “A Gentle Breeze” is a short, almost two-minute detour of instrumentation. Filled with keys, electronic drums and effects – a nice addition that features another side to the band’s work. For some reason “Shades” reminded me of a cross between Live, Jane’s Addiction and a ska-rock Seattle band Blackhappy. A lot of rhyming words on this one and it would be interesting if the band played it in a different genre. “My World” is in a word, very wordy. Musically, it has a somewhat lighter touch, jazzy and free, and a little hippy. You could say there’s some Incubus influence hear but crossed with…. Blind Melon? “Sea Anemones” finds the band switching gears again, playing in an alternative rock style a la the mid-‘90s. I liked the additional vocals here as well as how this song transitioned into “Tide.” “Tide” is another varied song, showcasing the band’s strengths of mixing great guitar licks with old and modern rock sounds, and just how well the band plays together as a whole. The album’s last track is none other than a song called “Matt Damon” yes, you read that right. Perhaps this tune takes a cue from some of Damon’s films like “Elysium” or “The Martian?” Anyway, it’s a somber, slow tune with a Pink Floyd-ish style starting out, with some funkier and lighter alt-pop elements. In my honest opinion, I’d like to hear more of these types of tunes from this band on their next album. rather than the grunge and post-grunge rock songs they have here. This song flowed well as did the other songs that were a little more on the “unconventional” side. If you enjoy alternative and indie rock, with cerebral and psychedelic elements thrown in, Sapien Sounds is your band.
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